This easy Crockpot Chili recipe has dozens of 5-star reviews and has been awarded “winner” in multiple chili cook-offs!
Loaded with ground beef, Italian sausage, beans, veggies, tomatoes, and the ultimate homemade chili seasoning, this slow cooker chili recipe is the absolute best!
Featured Comment
I made this yesterday for a chili cook off at my job today and I won! I made it exactly to the recipe, it was the perfect amount of heat and flavor. The mouthfeel was spot on and it was a really big hit with my coworkers. I will definitely be making this again
– Chris
Author note
The Chili Recipe That Always Wins The Cook-Off!
I am so obsessed with chili, I set out to make the absolute best chili and win a work cook-off. After months of testing, tweaking, and retesting, this is the version I finally landed on—and I’m convinced it’s the best! I learned a ton along the way and I’m sharing it all here. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
The Best Way To Cook Chili Is In the Crockpot
This chili isn’t your typical “dump and forget it” crockpot recipe like most on my blog.
It’s better because it’s slow-cooked.
Slow cooking is the first secret to award-winning chili. It blends flavors, tenderizes beans and veggies, and makes the meat juicy and tender.
The second secret is browning first. Sautéing the veggies and browning the beef before adding them to the crockpot adds layers of flavor.
Slow Cooker Chili Ingredients:
- Smoky Flavors: Bacon adds a smoky flavor that’s not common in chili but makes a big difference!
- Veggies: Sweet bell peppers, crisp celery, and onions add sweetness and crunch.
- The Base: Chili beans and diced tomatoes make a hearty base, and tomato paste adds thickness.
- Meat: Ground beef and Italian sausage add texture and lots of flavor.
- Flavor Boosters: Spices add warmth, with a bit of sugar to balance it out. Worcestershire adds tang, garlic boosts flavor, and beef bouillon makes it meatier.
Quick Tip
Spicy Crockpot Chili: This chili has a kick! For a milder version, skip the jalapeños and use less cayenne pepper or chili powder. Serve with cheddar and sour cream to cool it down.
How To Make Crockpot Chili
- Fry Bacon: Cook until crisp, remove, and keep the grease (hello flavor!)
- Cook Veggies: Sauté bell peppers, celery, onion, and jalapeño in bacon grease.
- Brown Meat: Cook ground beef and sausage, drain, and add to crockpot.
- Combine in Crockpot: Add veggies, beans, tomatoes, and bacon to the crockpot.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Top Tips for the Best Homemade Chili:
- Slow Cook on Low: Cook for 6-8 hours to blend flavors and make everything tender.
- Use Good Tomatoes: Better tomatoes mean better chili!
- Chill Overnight: Make it a day ahead and chill. This boosts flavor—great for contests! The next day, warm the chili in the slow cooker on low for 1-2 hours.
- Taste and Adjust: Before serving, taste and add more spices if needed until it’s just right.
- Don’t Forget the Toppings: They complete the dish!
What Toppings Go With Chili?
I love serving this crockpot chili family-style, so everyone can build their own perfect bowls. Here are our favorites:
- Cheeses: Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper Jack.
- Fresh Additions: Chopped cilantro or a squeeze of lime.
- Creamy Toppings: Sour cream or Greek yogurt to balance the spice.
- Crunchy Additions: Tortilla chips, corn chips, or saltine crackers for crunch.
- Avocado: Sliced or diced for some nice creaminess.
- Spicy Elements: Jalapeño slices, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Onions: Diced red or sliced green onions for a sharp bite.
How To Serve Slow Cooker Chili
Crockpot chili is perfect for leftovers and super versatile. Here are some favorite ways to enjoy it:
- Chili-Stuffed Baked Potatoes: Top baked potatoes with chili and toppings.
- Navajo Tacos: Spoon chili onto fry bread, then add cheese and sour cream.
- Chili Shepherd’s Pie: Use leftover chili as the base and top with mashed potatoes.
- Chili Mac or Chili Dogs: Mix chili with mac-and-cheese or spoon over hot dogs for a hearty meal.
Variations
- Vegetarian Crockpot Chili: Try my famous vegetarian chili. Cook in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.
- Crockpot Chicken Chili: Check out my popular White Chicken Chili Recipe or this Creamy Chicken Enchilada Chili.
Freezing Leftover Crockpot Chili:
- As a Freezer Meal: Combine all ingredients and place in freezer bags. Freeze flat. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook on low.
- Already Cooked Chili: Cool to room temp, then freeze in small portions. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the slow cooker.
More Beef Recipes To Try:
- Beef Burrito Recipe with rice
- Vegetable Beef Soup made with ground beef
- Ground Beef Stroganoff reader favorite recipe!
- Mongolian Ground Beef with garlic and ginger
- Ground Beef Recipes all our favorites in one spot!
Crockpot Chili Recipe (Cook-off Winner!)
Video
Equipment
- 6-quart Crock-Pot 6-quart, see note 1
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon chopped
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery 2 stalks
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion 1 small onion
- 1 small jalapeño optional, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 48 ounces chili beans pinto beans in chili sauce, 3×16-ounce cans
- 56 ounces petite diced tomatoes 2×28-ounce cans
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
- 1 pound Italian sausage mild or hot
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, see note 2
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 beef bouillon cubes
- Toppings as desired see note 3
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and place on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.
- Leave the bacon grease in the skillet. Add the bell peppers, celery, onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally until tender, about 5–8 minutes. Add the seasonings and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, 1–3 more minutes. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
- Add the chili beans (with liquid), diced tomatoes (with liquid), sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and crumbled bouillon cubes to the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, cook and crumble the ground beef and Italian sausage over high heat. Brown in batches, if needed, so the meat can be in a single layer and is able to sear nicely instead of steaming, which adds more flavor. Cook until deeply browned. Drain excess fat, then add the meat to the slow cooker along with the bacon. Stir everything well.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours.
- Taste and adjust seasonings (like salt, pepper, and chili powder) if needed. Serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, and Cheddar cheese.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Chili Cookoff Winner! I made this for the chili cookoff at the church fall festival and was the unanimous winner. Thank you so much! Left the festival with an empty crockpot!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks Jacob!
I can’t find “beans in chili sauce” anywhere in my grocery store. What do you suggest as a substitute? A can of just plain kidney or pinto beans in liquid? How do I adjust for the lack of “chili sauce”?
They are also called chili beans if that helps! But I’d recommend just doing drained and rinsed pinto beans. Add a touch extra seasoning if you find you need it!
Added 1.5tsp liquid smoke stirred directly into crockpot, came out like a gem.
Chili Cookoff Winner!
Yay! So excited to hear this! Thanks Mark!
I made 3x….wow is that a lot! I also entered it into a Chili Cook-off and won. I did substitute cocoa powder for the sugar…it worked out great. Thank you for a great
Yay! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for sharing Jeff!
Winnner winner! I took home 1st place today in our work chili cook off! No leftovers so time to make a fresh batch!!
*I only added a touch of cinnamon and liquid smoke to this recipe.
Yay! I love to hear this! Thanks so much Kellie!
I recently made this chili for a family crockpot cookoff. Needless to say, my chili won. I followed the recipe to the letter while taste testing it every hour while it was cooking. Everyone marveled how great it tasted and by the end of the evening, everything was gone. My niece who lives in Florida, called me and asked me to send her your recipe which I promptly did. Moving forward, I will be making your chili for all future Superbowl parties.
Yay! I’m so excited to hear this! Thanks so much for taking the time to share!
My husband and I have been making this recipe for years, and we finally entered it into a chili cook-off and won! It’s hands down the best chili recipe ever!
YAY! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks so much for coming back and sharing!
So glad I found your recipe! I took 2nd place in the mild category in my church’s chili cook-off!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for sharing Jonathan!
Made exactly as recipe states- husband and family loved it!
For my taste, I added a tbsp of brown sugar, quarter cup ketchup and a bag of frozen corn at the end to half the batch.
Excellent recipe, there’s no accounting for my weird flavor preference (sweet bbq chili over smoky), but the crowd loved it both ways.
Delish! I’m so thrilled this was a hit! Thanks Jaim!